In the past, most of IP (Internet Protocol) communications inside of a home use IEEE802.3, which is a standard specification of Ethernet (registered trademark). Recently, transmission paths of various media are used, such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) such as IEEE802.11, PLC (Power Line Communication) using power line as a conveying path, and MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) performing high speed data communication using a coaxial cable. Among IEEE802.11 system, not only ordinary infrastructure connection but techniques providing multiple paths such as WiFi-Direct, TDLS (Tunneled Direct Link Setup) are begun to be used. In the TDLS, when data are transmitted directly between terminal stations without relying on an access point, the TDLS defines connection processing performed using data/packets between the terminal stations.
Under such environment where multiple paths are provided, it may be possible to use multiple paths between terminals which are desired to communication with each other. However, it is necessary for a user to be aware of making selection as to which of these paths is to be used, but the user cannot easily find out which path is the optimum path.
For example, a network interface device configured to determine a medium through which a communication signal is transmitted on the basis of Quality of Service (QoS) measurement criteria associated with the media has been suggested (for example, see Patent Document 1). This network interface device carries out at least two of the communication techniques including a power line technique, a telephone line technique, and a coaxial cable technique, and can communicate with another device connected to a network by means of the same communication technique.
On the other hand, communication methods such as IEEE802.11 and PLC have less effective band width and are easily affected by external elements, as compared to IEEE802.3. For this reason, in some cases, it may be impossible to ensure sufficient band width when only a single path of IEEE802.11 or PLC is used. In the communication path of IEEE802.11 or PLC, the effective rate changes same, and the optimum path changes at all times, but it is impossible to select the optimum path at all times.